Dick Advocaat shrugged off Sunderland’s late heartbreak at West Ham and insisted he saw signs the Black Cats can win their battle against the drop.

Advocaat took over on Tuesday and his first outing as head coach ended in defeat, extending the club’s winless streak to seven league games which means they remain just a single point above the relegation zone.

But Sunderland gave as good as they got against the Hammers and it was only a controversial 88th-minute winner from Diafra Sakho that divided the teams.

Asked whether he still had any hope that Sunderland would survive, Advocaat said: “We always have hope – otherwise you have lost.

“In three days’ time (working with the players) you cannot change too many things. You can give them the confidence, I took a risk with (Connor) Wickham and he played brilliantly.

“That’s a positive thing.

“Other players, tactics-wise, have to improve more when we have the ball.

“Those kind of things I will take to the training ground.

“It gives me enough confidence if we work like we worked today against a team that we know is difficult to play against with the long ball – because they don’t play through the midfield, they play long balls and then support.

“It’s difficult to play against but we did really well.

“I did not expect a goal from West Ham because everything was under control.

The luck Advocaat was referring to had more to do with a mistake from referee Lee Mason, who failed to spot sub Nene’s foul on Seb Larsson in the build-up to the goal.

Advocaat did not make a big issue of it in his post-match Press conference, although his feelings were written all over his face.

“Everybody saw it, but not the referee,” he said.

He added quickly: “But I do not complain, by the way.”

Had Sunderland collected a point, no one could have complained – and had Jermain Defoe converted a gilt-edged chance in the first half against his old club, they may even have picked up their first road win since Christmas. Advocaat said: “A win would have been too much, I think.

“One point for us was right, but three points would have been too much.

“We deserved that first point because of the way we worked, and tactics-wise the players did everything they had to do.

“We didn’t give a lot of chances away.

“We got the first chance in the first half with Defoe, and if you score then they (West Ham) have to come out more, they have to take more risks and you get more space.

“Then you get a moment in front of our goal, one-two, and then you are out.”

With Adam Johnson returning to training following the lifting of his club suspension in midweek, the big question was whether he would figure against the Hammers.

Advocaat did include him on the bench, and brought him on for the final 17 minutes of the game.

And the coach is convinced the former Manchester City and England winger can still have a big impact on the club’s fight to stay in the Premier League.

“He (Johnson) came in on Wednesday and I spoke with him,” he said.

“Life goes on.

“He did well, because he is a very good player.

“I was happy that I could bring him in. It’s good to know he will be here for the derby game against Newcastle (Sunderland’s next match).”